Electric switch.



No. 648,95I. Patented May 8,1900. A. HANSGN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

(App 1 ation filed May 31, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

No. 648,951. Patented may s, |900. A. HANsoN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

(Application filed May 31, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheei 2.

' 2 I NQ NiTED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS I'IANSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHNII. GOEHST, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,951, dated May 8,1900.

Application filed May 3l, 1899. Serial No. 718,810. (No model.) v

To @ZZ wiz/m, it may con/cern:

Be it known that l, AUGUSTUS HANsoN, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Electric Switches; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to 'the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to novel features of construction in quick-breakelectric switches of the kind having a main and one or two additional orauxiliary switch-bladeshaving spring connections with each other andoperating in connection with either one or two stationary spring-contactouter clips. The object of the invention is to provide an improvedconstruction in the joints of such switches by which greater strengtlnaswell as an improved electrical contact, is obtained in the parts of suchjoints and in other features of the switches, as will hereinafterappear.

As quick-break switches have heretofore been made the outside orquick-break blade or blades have been pivotally connected with thecenter or pivot clip by means of a ring which iits into segmentalgrooves formed in the several blades in such manner that they togetherconstitute, in effect, an annular groove, whereby the outside blades areadapted to swinglon a central axis concentric with the center bolt orpivot'of the main blade. Such prior construction has been foundobjectionable, especially in double-throw switches, wherein these bladesare used, for the reason, among others, that the ring referred to isliable to break, andthe blades also break at the points where thesegmental grooves are located by reason of the fact thatthe metal isgreatly reduced in thickness at these points. In a switch made inaccordance with my invention the main switch blade is pivoted on acentral pivot-pin, and the auxiliary blade or blades at one or bothedges thereof is provided adjacent tov the joint with a fiat lateralprojection or cheek-piece,\vl1ich en gages the pivot and overlaps themain blade and has contact both with the main blade and the side orcheek plate of the center clip,so that both the main blade and thequick-action blade or blades are pivoted directly to the said pivot,while the said laterally-extending plate 0r cheek-piece is interposedand has bearing against both the central blade and the side of thecenter clip, thereby giving'a broad or extended contactssurface betweensaid central clip, the main blades, and the cheek piece or pieces,insuring ample contact-surfaces for the passage of the electric currentfrom the central clip to boththe main and the auxiliary blades. Inconnec* tion with the quick-action blade thus constructed a deviccisprovided at the inner ends of the main or auxiliary blades embracingparts adapted for contact with each other when the main blade is swungon the pivot in a direction away from the outer spring-clip, whichengages the quick-action blade, so as to positivelymove the quick-actionblade out of engagement with the spring-clip, thereby releasing thequick-action blade and allowing it to resume its position in contactwith the main blade.

The invention also embraces other features of construction, as will behereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

As shown in the drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of a quick-breakdouble-throw switch constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2is a front elevation thereof with parts of the joint broken away to showparts beneath. Fig. 3 is a section through the joint, taken on line 3 3of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a perspective view of one of the quick-break orauxiliary blades removed from the other parts of the switch. Fig. 5 is adetail View of the joint employed in a single-throw switch where onlyone auxiliary blade is used. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of adouble-throw switch having two quick-action blades Where theswitch-blades swing in a plane perpendicular to the base ou which theswitch is mounted.

As shown in said drawings, A indicates a base or plate of insulatingmaterial, such as slate or the like, on which the switch is mounted.

B indicates the stationary center cli p, which is attached to the base,and C C the outer spring-clips, also secured to said base.

D indicates the center blade of the switch,

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which is provided with a handle D', and F and F are the quick-action orauxiliary blades, located at opposite edges of the main blade and in thesame plane therewith.

The main and auxiliary blades are pivotally connected with the centerclip B by a pivot-bolt B, and the free and outer ends of the bladesengage the outer spring-clips, said spring-clips each being of slottedform and provided with spring or resilient jaws adapted to frictionallyengage opposite sides of the blades in the usual manner.

Now, referring to the construction ot' the center joint of the switch,the central clip B thereof is made in the usual manner, with twoparallel cheek-plates l; h', through which the pivot-bolt B passes andbetween which the ends of the switch-blades are located. The central ormain blade D is provided with an aperture near its end through which thepivot-bolt B passes. The quick-action blades E and F, which are locatedin the same plane with and at either edge of the main blade, are held byspring connections normally in contact with the opposite edges of thesaid main blade. Said auxiliary blades l1 and F are each provided withalaterally-projecting plate or cheek-piece E F', which overlaps the mainblade and is interposed between and in contact with the same and theadjacent or inner surfaces of the cheek-pieces l) or b' ot the centralclip. Said cheek-pieces E F of the auxiliary blades are provided withbearing-apertures c f, through which passes the bolt B. Saidcheek-pieces may be secured to the sides of the auxiliary blades bysuitable attaching means, as by rivets and brazing, or they may be madeor iorged in one piece with the auxiliary blad es. In some instancessaid cheekpieccs and the blades may be cut and stamped or swaged from asingle piece of metal. Preterably the cheelcpieces are ofapproximatelycircular form, so that the cheekpiece ot' each bladeprojects over and comes in contact with the opposite blade, as well aswith the main blade. Obviously the cheek-pieces, made as described,being in bearing-contact with the opposite parts of the cheek-plates l)b of the center clip afford extended contact-surfaces between the clipand the blades, thereby insuring ample contact-surfaces between saidparts for the passage of the current.

The auxiliaryor quick-action blades, which are pivotally connected withthe center clip and main blade in the manner described, are heldnormally in contact or parallel with the main blade by suitably-appliedsprings, herein shown as having the form of coiled expansion-springs GH, located at opposite sides of the blades, so as to exert an eventension or strain thereon. Both of said springs G and Il are connectedwith opposite studs l l, which project from opposite sides of the mainblade, the springs G being` connected at their outer ends with studs Jon opposite sides of the blade E, and the springs Il ll bein g connectedwith opposite studs K K on the blade F. To hold the auxiliary blades inthe same plane with thel main-blade, the latter is provided withguide-pieces L L, secured to the opposite faces thereof and projectingbeyond the side edges of the main blade, so as to overlap the auxiliaryblades when the same are brought against the side edges of the mainblade. W'hen the switch-blades thus constructed are swung to one limitoi their movement and are engaged with one of the outer spring-clips,said clip will bear upon the op-d posite sides of the main blade, aswell as the auxiliary blade, which is on the side of the main blade, atwhich the clip engaged thereby islocated. lVhen the main blade is movedby hand out of engagement with the clip at the time engaged byit, thefriciional engagement of the spring-cllp with the auxiliary blade willbe sufficient io prevent the release of the same, so that thequick-action blade will still remain in enga-gernen t with said clip,this position of the parts being shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 2.

In order to provide tor the release oi' the quick-action or auxiliaryblades from the spring contact-clips, devices are provided as follows:The pivote@ end ol' the main, blade is provided with an extension orheel projecting beyond the pivot and having inclined or beveled edges (l(Z, located in position for contact with the inner :face or edge of theauxiliary blade when the main blade reaches an angular position withrespect tothe auxiliary blade, the parts being so arranged that when themain blade has been` swung to an angle secured for the quick-breakaction the angular end of the main blade will strike the adjacentsurface of the auxiliary blade, and thus positively swing or move theauxiliary blade until it is free from the outer spring-clip, al1'- terwhich the auxiliary blade will be thrown quickly by the action ot thesprings G- and Il into contact with the main blade, thereby quicklybreaking the electric current. This action is clearly shown in Fig. 2,wherein the auxiliary blade F is still in engagement with the outerspring-clip C', but is beingl moved out of engagement therewith bypressure of the inner end or heel of the main blade, which latter ismoving' toward the clip C. As an additional means of moving or actuatingthe auxiliary blades each blade is shown in Fig. 2 as provided with aprojecting lug or block cf', and said lugs are arranged in the sameplane with the main blade and their ends are adapted to 'form shoulderswhich are adapted to come in contact with each other at the same timethe end ol' the main blade makes contact with that one of the auxiliaryblades which is at the time held in engagement with one of the outerspring-clips. The lugs or blocks e f serve to make the joint very muchstronger and insure a more positive action of the parts than is allordedby the pro.- jecting end of the main blade alone.

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viously, however, when the said lugs e' f are present the main bladesneed not necessarily have the heel for action on the auxiliary blade toafford the releasing movement thereof referred to.

Fig. 5 illustrates a construction which may be employed for thequick-break single-throw switch where only one auxiliary blade is used.In this instance, there being only one blade, the contact shoulders orlugs c' f' cannot be employed, and the main blade D is provided with aprojection or heel having a beveled face or shoulder d2, adapted forcontact with the inner face of the auxiliary blade E, so as topositively move the same out of contact with the spring-clip engaged byit.

Fig. 6 illustrates my invention as applied to a double-throw switch inwhich the switchblades swing in a plane perpendicular to the face of theinsulating base or plate A, the outer spring-clips C C in this instancebeing located in the same vertical plane, so that the switch-bladesare-thrown or moved through an angle approximating one hundred andeighty degrees in carrying them from one outer clip to the other.

I claim as my inventionl. A quick-break electric switch comprising acenter clip having parallel cheek-plates, a center pivot-bolt, a mainblade mounted on said pivot-bolt, and an auxiliary blade located edge toedge and in the same plane with the main blade and provided outside ofthe plane of said main bla-de with a cheek-piece which overlaps saidmain blade from edge to edge and is interposed between said main bladeand one of the cheek-pieces of the center clip, said cheek-piece andauxiliary blade being provided with apertures through which saidpivot-bolt passes.

2. A quick-break electric switch comprising a center clip havingparallel cheek-plates,

a main blade, a pivot-bolt passing through the cheek-plates of thecenter clip and the main blade, two auxiliary blades located at oppositeedges of the main blade and each provided outside of the plane of themain blade with a cheek-piece, which cheek-pieces engage at their outerfaces the cheek-plates of the center clip and are separated by a spacewithin which is located the pivoted end of the main blade.

3. A quick-break electric switch comprising a center clip havingparallel cheek-plates, two outer spring contact-clips, a main blade, apivot connecting the main blade with the center clip, two auxiliaryblades located at opposite edges ofthe main blade and provided each witha laterally-projecting` plate or cheelipiece which is interposed betweenthe main blade and one of the cheek-plates of the clip and engages saidpivot, said auxiliary blades being provided with opposingcontact-shoulders adapted for engagement with each other for givingpositive movement to said auxiliary blades for disengaging them from thesaid outer contact-clips.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afiix mysignatn re, in presence of two witnesses, this 29th day of May, A. l).1899.

AUGUSTUSl HANSON.

lVitnesses:

WILLIAM L. HALL, GERTRUDE BRYcE.

